2024 Critical Care Committee Leader Spotlight

Dustin Slagle, MD, Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024

brian_sumner.jpgProgram: Christiana Care Health

 

Alexandra Hallagan, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2023-2024

Alexandra Hallagan.jpgProgram: Maricopa County/Creighton University Emergency Medicine

What is your goal as an EMRA leader? Work to even further establish the sub-speciality of critical care as a fundamental pillar of our field. Ensure every emergency medicine resident feels well equipped and prepared as a resuscitationist. Expand resources and smooth the path for those looking to pursue critical care fellowship
 
Why did you get involved in a professional society? To have the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals all over the country with similar passions and goals.
 
What is the best advice you have ever received? Be a humble learner. No matter how far you get in your career, you always have something to learn from every interaction. Never let your ego get in the way of the opportunity to learn from your colleagues and patients.
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I took four years of Mandarin Chinese and spent a few weeks traveling all around China.
 
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? An astronomer or working for NASA in some capacity
 
What are your tops songs on your Spotify Wrapped? Delilah (pull me out of this) Fred again. Sun Models - Odesza, Innerbloom - Rufus Du Sol, Let it Happen - Tame Impala, Life Itself - Glass Animals 

Gabriel Colon, MD, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024

Gabriel Colon.jpgProgram: Mount Sinai Morningside/West

Your goal as an EMRA leader: Share my passion for critical care medicine within the emergency department. I'm passionate about using the most up to date evidence in the critical care literature to best resuscitate our patients and to educate future providers.

What is the best advice you have ever received?Let go of what you cannot change, and put your energy towards the things you can. It's especially important as emergency doctors to be passionate about the things within our control.

What app on your phone consumes the most of your time? Instagram. I follow some great ED-Crit care accounts like criticalcarenow.

Luxi Qiao, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024

Luxi Qiao, MDProgram: Johns Hopkins Hospital

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To get more EM trainees interested in critical care, to help create high-quality education materials, and to help advance our specialty as experts in critical care resuscitation. 

Why did you get involved in a professional society? To learn more about the work leaders in our field are doing to advocate for residents and for our specialty and to connect with others in the EM community who share similar interests!
 
What is the best advice you have ever received? "The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision." This has been such a helpful advice on shift and generally in life too. 
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I used to play the drums in college, would love to pick it back up again! 


If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: Given how much I love food and cooking and face-paced environments, probably a chef. 


What's the last non-textbook you read? Mad Honey--excellent story-telling and truly eye-opening in so many different ways. 

Favorite channel on social media? James Hoffman's coffee channel, which unfortunately has led to an increase in my caffeine intake haha 

Josh Wild, DO, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024

Josh WildProgram: Kendall Regional Medical Center Miami, FLl

Your goal as an EMRA leader: I hope to be able to foster further interest in the field of critical care amongst medical students and residents. Whether it be with the end goal of being an intensivist or just being a better resuscitationist in the ED I think many EM residents at one point, or another find it rewarding to care for our most critically ill patients. It can be a daunting task to learn the management of this population, but I believe from our background in Emergency Medicine we are some of the physicians best suited to care for these patients. As, I have been incredibly fortunate to be supported by many great physicians in my journey into critical care I hope to also be able to provide similar mentorship to those who are interested but just may not know where to start.

Why did you get involved in a professional society? While I was finding my way to the world of critical care through Emergency Medicine I was supported by so many incredible physicians, from both the world of EM and Critical Care. They were invaluable in guiding me through this process and I hope to be able to provide that same help to others. I think many EM residents enjoy critical care but even so only a small fraction chooses it as a specialty. Hopefully, I can be there to support other med students and residents who may be considering it as a sub-specialty for themselves.
 
What is something that people don't know about you? I recently won third place in an amateur pickleball tournament.


If I weren't an emergency physician, I would be: A chef. I unfortunately, don't have a creative bone inside my body outside of the kitchen. For that reason, I really enjoy cooking all sorts of meals and cuisines.


What is your favorite hack for night shifts? A latte right before I leave my apartment.

Alex Lucas, MD, Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024

Alex Lucas.jpgProgram: Advocate Christ Medical Center

Your goal as an EMRA leader: My goal is to provide resources and promote critical care medicine for all levels of medical professionals. On the way, I hope to network and collaborate with other great EM leaders.

Why did you get involved in a professional society? I originally got involved with EMRA as a medical student needing career and match advice. Now as a vice-chair and previous leadership academy chair, I hope to provide these resources and spread opportunities throughout the EM student/residency community. It has also been a great way to network and meet with other EM leaders throughout the country.

Top 3 traits of a great leader:
1. Communication - One must be able to communicate with the group and fellow stakeholders to influence change.
2. Think big picture - It is easy to get weighed down with minute details but a good leader has a clear direction with milestones and endpoints for their goals.
3. Delegate - One must be able to delegate as there is generally too much work for any one person to do. Delegation also includes teaching your team so they may learn new skills and be able to pass these on to others.

What is the best advice you've ever received? Every time you say yes to something, you say no to another

What is something that people don't know about you? I am a retired engineer
 
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? In real life probably a chemical engineer. In my fantasy life a professional golfer.

What is the last non-textbook you read? Unreasonable Hospitality - Will Guidara

What are your tops songs on your Spotify Wrapped? Voodoo- Gorgon City, Atmosphere - FISHER, Last Night- Morgan Wallen

Marcus Gresham, MD, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024

Marcus GreshamProgram: Emory University School of Medicine

Your goal as an EMRA leader: My goal as an EMRA leader is to help move forward the field of emergency medicine and critical care.

What do you think are the top three traits of a great leader? Communication, humility, accountability
 
If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? NBA basketball player
 
What is your favorite hack for night shifts? An hour nap right before shift!

What's the last non-textbook you read? Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present by Harriet A. Washington

Szymon Kutyla, MD, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024

syzmon kutylaProgram: Mount Sinai Hospital

Your goal as an EMRA leader: One of my goals is to gain insight on the conversations being held on the front line of our field on the topic of critical care. I will also strive to advocate for ideas (i.e. educational, operational, logistic, innovative) that I think will benefit EMRA members and the field of emergency medicine as a whole. I will propose my own ideas as well as elevate and make heard the ideas of my colleagues, who may not hold a position, but have valuable input.

Why did you get involved in a professional society? From a personal standpoint, I joined a professional society to push myself to reach my potential as an advocate and leader. From an interpersonal perspective, I wanted to join a close-knit community where I could share my ideas, and even more importantly, to listen to the ideas of others and absorb as much knowledge from everyone I have the privilege to meet and work with. I recognize it is an honor to be among other motivated and like-minded doctors. So, I am looking forward to embracing the company of fellow leaders and learning as much as possible from them.
 
What is something that people don't know about you? The choreography group Jabbawockeez from the show America’s Best Dance Crew was a huge inspiration for me. 

Favorite life hack for night shifts: Treat it as an all-nighter with my friends

What app on your phone consumes the most of your time? Spotify – love jamming out to music and discovering new tunes

Dominique Gelmann, MD, Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024

Dominique GelmannProgram: Wake Forest Emergency Medicine Residency

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To spread my hopefully infectious enthusiasm for the awesome overlap of EM and CC! I hope to contribute to some exciting crit care educational content over this next year as well. 

Top 3 traits of a great leader:
Humility/integrity, team spirit, and courage.

What is something that people don't know about you? My friends know this, but otherwise most people probably don't know that while I'm not currently in my fitness glory days I've done a half ironman and some marathons and ultras!
 
What app on your phone consumes the most of your time? Is it sucking up to say EMRAP? ;) 
 
Favorite channel on social media? I've been loving Haney Mallemat's @CriticalCareNow on several platforms.

What are your tops songs on your Spotify Wrapped? John Mayer and Chris Stapleton top the charts for me every year. 

Eleni McCaffery, Assistant Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024

Eleni McCaffery.jpegProgram: City University of New York School of Medicine

Your goal as an EMRA leader: To delve deeper into critical care and enjoy the process of learning and creating content to educate others

Why did you get involved in a professional society? I got involved to learn from the incredible people within this group. It's important to challenge yourself to get the level of those you admire. Here, I'm fortunate to get to interact with a lot of people I admire and am inspired to catch up to

Top 3 traits of a great leader: Kindness, Humility, Generosity 

If you weren't an emergency physician, what would you be? Baker, carpenter, vintage clothes dealer, masseuse, rancher, tour guide

What is the last non-textbook you read? The Island of the Colorblind

Kenneth Asst. Vice Chair of the EMRA Critical Care Committee, 2024

Evan McCurray.jpgProgram: University of Rochester

 
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